History

The Committee for an Art Gallery in Peterborough had formed in 1973, and was comprised of members of the University Women’s Club of Peterborough, the Women’s Art Association of Peterborough as well as other community members. Before the building was acquired, the collection was housed at the Peterborough Centennial Museum & Archives, with exhibitions presented at the Library.

Incorporated in 1974, the AGP accepted a donation of a historic Georgian House and surrounding grounds from the City of Peterborough in 1977. The AGP’s Board of Directors and volunteers raised funds for the construction of an adjacent gallery space, which opened in June 1979.

In 2000, after negotiations between the AGP Board and the City of Peterborough, City Council invited the AGP to become part of the City’s Arts, Culture and Heritage (ACH) Division. The AGP Board of Directors remains the institution’s elected governing authority.

The AGP marked its 35th anniversary in 2009 with an extensive exhibition of works from the permanent collection and a three-year strategic plan. With this we recommitted to our original mandate, focusing on the development of education opportunities in relation to our exhibitions.